Mobile terminal and method for controlling the same

• US 10,133,310 B2
• Filed: 03/13/2015
• Issued: 11/20/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 11/10/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Kim, Samsick, Yu, Donghwan, Lee, Seojin
• Primary Examiner(s): Belousov, Andrey
• Assistant Examiner(s): Silverman, Seth A
• Application Number:
  US14/657,117
• Publication Number:
  US 20160132074A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,348 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1643 the display being associated to a digitizer, e.g. laptops that can be used as penpads details related to the relative motion of the display enclosure with respect to the body enclosure, e.g. to move between laptop and tablet PC configuration G06F1/1615
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1652 the display being flexible, e.g. mimicking a sheet of paper, or rollable
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1681 Details related solely to hinges hinge details related to the transmission of signals or power are classified in G06F1/1683
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04803 Split screen, i.e. subdividing the display area or the window area into separate subareas
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04817 using icons graphical or visual programming using iconic symbols G06F8/34
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/147 using display panels
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2340/04 Changes in size, position or resolution of an image
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2340/0464 Positioning
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2340/14 Solving problems related to the presentation of information to be displayed
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2354/00 Aspects of interface with display user
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2358/00 Arrangements for display data security
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2380/02 Flexible displays
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2380/14 Electronic books and readers
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/14 Display of multiple viewports

Abstract

Disclosed is a mobile terminal using a display unit and a control method thereof. The mobile terminal includes a controller which displays first screen information corresponding to a first application on a first display region disposed on an inner surface when the mobile terminal is open, and converts the first screen information into second screen information when a folding event is generated. Further, the controller converts the first screen information or the second screen information into third screen information which is different from the second screen information when an angle between first and second regions of the first display region corresponding to the folding event is less than a reference value.

Claims

1. A mobile terminal, comprising:

a terminal body comprising an inner side and an outer side and configured to be converted between an open configuration and a folded configuration;

a display comprising an inner display region disposed on the inner side and configured to be bent about a specific region;

a hinge unit corresponding to the specific region, the hinge unit comprising an elastic member and a protrusion configured to limit a folding range of the terminal body in a backwards direction, wherein the elastic member is configured to bias the terminal body to the open configuration;

a sensor configured to sense whether the display is folded in the backwards direction via hinge unit or the display is folded in a forward direction via the hinge unit; and

a hardware controller configured to;

cause the display to display on the inner display region first screen information and second screen information in a first screen mode region when the terminal body is in the open configuration, wherein the first screen information corresponds to a first application;

in response to a backward bending event of the terminal body about the specific region, cause the display to display on the inner display region the first screen information in a second screen mode without displaying the second screen information;

in response to the terminal body being biased to the open configuration by the elastic member following the backward bending event of the terminal body, cause the display to maintain display of the first screen information in the second screen mode without displaying the second screen information;

in response to a forward bending event of the terminal body about the specific region, divide the inner region into a first region and a second region based on the specific region;

cause the display to display a part of the first screen information on a part of the first display region according to a forward-folded degree of the specific region; and

cause the second region to be converted into an inactive state wherein a part of the first region is covered by a bent portion of the terminal body corresponding to the second region, wherein when the first region and the second region are in a locked state, the controller is further configured to;

cause the second region to release the locked state in response to a plurality of touch inputs applied to the second region which match a preset pattern; and

cause the first region to release the locked state in response to a drag input received from one end to another end of the specific region.

2. The mobile terminal of claim 1, wherein:

the specific region defines a division between the first region and the second region of the inner display region; and

the angle of the forward bending event corresponds to a rotational degree between a surface corresponding to the first region and surface corresponding to the second region.

3. The mobile terminal of claim 2, wherein:

the controller is further configured to cause the display to display second screen information related to the first screen information according to the forward bending event;

the first screen information corresponds to an execution screen displayed on an entire part of the inner display region; and

the second screen information comprises a plurality of execution screens displayed on the first region and the second region.

4. The mobile terminal of claim 2, wherein:

the controller is further configured to terminate the display of the first screen information or the second screen information and cause the display to display third screen information when an angle of the forward bending event is less than a threshold value; and

the third screen information comprises an execution screen displayed on a third region of the inner display region.

5. The mobile terminal of claim 4, wherein:

the third screen information comprises an input area for inputting security-related information corresponding to the part of the first screen information, and

the controller is further configured to;

terminate the displaying of the third screen information and cause the display to display second screen information updated with the security-related information when the terminal body is moved to the open configuration; and

cause the display to display an indicator on an outer display region of the display that the security-related information has been applied to the second screen information.

6. The mobile terminal of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to cause the display to display the part of the first screen information when:

an angle of the forward bending event is maintained for a threshold length of time;

or

a touch input applied to the first display region is maintained for another threshold length of time.

7. The mobile terminal of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to cause the display to display a first image object on the specific region in response to the forward bending event, the first image object related to display settings.

8. The mobile terminal of claim 7, wherein the controller is further configured to:

cause the display to display a plurality of icons in response to a touch drag input to the displayed first image object, the plurality of icons displayed along a path of the touch drag input on the specific region; and

apply a setting of the display setting based on a touch input to one of the plurality of icons.

9. The mobile terminal of claim 8, wherein the controller is further configured to cause the display to:

cease displaying the first image object after a threshold length of time; and

re-display the first image object in response to a touch input to the specific region while an angle of the forward bending event is maintained.

10. The mobile terminal of claim 7, wherein the controller is further configured to cause the display to display a second image object on the specific region related to at least a second application in response to a touch input to the specific region.

11. The mobile terminal of claim 10, wherein the controller is further configured to:

cause the display to display a plurality of application icons in response to a touch drag input to the displayed second image object, the plurality of application icons displayed along a path of the touch drag input on the specific region; and

execute an application corresponding to a selected one of the plurality of application icons;

terminate the displaying of the first screen information or the second screen information and cause the display to display an execution screen of the executed application.

12. The mobile terminal of claim 1, wherein:

the specific region defines a division between the first region and the second region of the inner display region; and

the controller is further configured to;

cause the display to display a plurality of settings icons in response to a touch drag input to the specific region, the plurality of settings icons displayed along a path of the touch drag input; and

apply a setting in response to a touch input to one of the plurality of settings icons;

wherein the setting is changed based on a forward bending angle between a surface corresponding to the first region and a surface corresponding to the second region.

13. The mobile terminal of claim 1, wherein:

the specific region defines a division between the first region and the second region of the inner display region; and

the controller is further configured to;

cause the display to display a plurality of application icons in response to a first touch drag input to the specific region, the plurality of application icons displayed along a path of the first touch drag input; and

move a selected one of the plurality of application icons to the first region or the second region in response to a second touch drag input moving the selected one of the plurality of applications to the corresponding first region or second region.

14. The mobile terminal of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to:

cause the display to display a first plurality of icons on the specific region in response to a touch input to the specific region; and

terminate the displaying of the first plurality of icons and cause the display to display a second plurality of icons in response to the terminal body being forwardly bent about the specific region at a predetermined angle.

15. The mobile terminal of claim 1, wherein:

the specific region defines a division between the first region and the second region of the inner display region;

the display further comprises an outer display region disposed on the outer side, the outer display region continuous with the inner display region; and

the controller is further configured to cause the display to display;

a notification of an event generated by an executed application on the outer display region while the terminal body is in the folded configuration; and

application information related to the event on the first region or the second region in response to opening the terminal body from the folded configuration;

wherein the application information is displayed based on an opening amount of the terminal body.

16. The mobile terminal of claim 15, wherein the controller is further configured to cause the display to display:

an execution screen of the executed application on one of the first region or second region; and

corresponding first screen information or second screen information on the other of the first region or second region.

17. The mobile terminal of claim 1, wherein:

the specific region defines a division between a first region and a second region of the inner display region;

the controller is further configured to cause the display to display;

a notification of an event on the first region while the terminal body is in the open configuration;

at least one icon in response to a touch drag input to the specific region, the at least one icon displayed along a path of the touch drag input and related to the event; and

an execution screen of an application corresponding to the at least one icon on the first region or the second region in response to a another touch drag input dragging the at least one icon to the corresponding first region or second region.

18. The mobile terminal of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to terminate the displaying of the first screen information or the second screen information and cause the display to display an execution screen of a preset application in response to the terminal body being forwardly bent about the specific region.

19. The mobile terminal of claim 1, wherein:

the display further comprises an outer display region disposed on the outer side, the outer display region continuous with the inner display region; and

the controller is further configured to cause the display to display;

information previously displayed on the inner display region on the outer display region when a touch input is received at the specific region and the terminal body is converted from the open configuration to the folded configuration; and

information previously displayed on the outer display region on the inner display region when the terminal body is converted from the folded configuration to the open configuration and a touch input is received at the specific region.

20. A method for controlling a mobile terminal comprising a terminal body, a hinge unit comprising an elastic member and a protrusion configured to limit a folding range of the terminal body in a backwards direction, and a sensor, wherein the terminal body comprises an inner side and an outer side and is configured to be converted between an open configuration and a folded configuration, the method comprising:

displaying on an inner display region first screen information and second screen information in a first screen mode when the terminal body is in the open configuration, wherein the first screen information corresponds to a first application;

in response to a backward bending event of the terminal body about the specific region, display on the inner display region the first screen information in a second screen mode without displaying the second screen information;

in response to the terminal body being biased to the open configuration by the elastic member following the backward bending event of the terminal body, maintain display of the first screen information in the second screen mode without displaying the second screen information;

in response to a forward bending event of the terminal body about a specific region of the display, dividing the inner display region into a first region and a second region based on the specific region;

displaying a part of the first screen information on a part of the first display region according to a forward-folded degree of the specific region; and

converting the second region into an inactive state wherein a part of the first region is covered by a bent portion of the terminal body corresponding to the second region, wherein when the first region and the second region are in a locked state, the controller is further configured to;

release the locked state in response to a plurality of touch inputs applied to the second region which match a preset pattern; and

release the locked state in response to a drag input received from one end to another end of the specific region.